Soul Stalker Jutsu
by redfoxblackraven
Summary: Sasuke knows he doesn't have the strength to kill Itachi, so he looks for another way. Experimentation with new and unknown jutsus? What does Naruto think of this? Sasuke needs to remember some actions may have irreversable consequences. SASUNARU!
1. Mask of a Different Kind

-1**Soul Stalker Jutsu**

New story!

Yes, it's Sasunaru as they are my fav pairing but who knows what else might happen? _wink wink_

Well, not too much else to say cept don't own Naruto etc.

On with the show.

_Chapter I - Mask of a Different Kind_

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_Intense pleasure or intense pain._

_Anyone who has known either will know you can think of nothing else in that one moment or as many hours. There is nothing but the feeling, nothing but blinding white. You gasp, like a fish out of water. Your body moves of its own accord. You lose control of everything and are overcome with a sense of helplessness you despise yet can't help but want to give in to._

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The snow had fallen heavy in Konoha that year.

The rivers and lakes were frozen over, trees bowed down under their thick white blanket and the only sound heard in the forest was the occasional soft thump as a tree relieved its frozen burden.

Naruto crunched through a now lost forest trail, buried under a foot of snow, hiding all traces of the earth beneath it. His only winter addition was a long, plain black scarf that swayed with his every step, almost brushing against the ground.

He loved winter.

Not for the freezing temperatures, not for the snow, but for the peace and serenity it brought about. Everything seemed to slow to a crawl in winter. Everything was hidden and quiet. There's a feeling of calmness about everything; as if hanging in the very air itself, all around you, at all times.

Winter was a ninja's nightmare.

Only the most skilled and adept of shinobi could efficiently and effectively cover their tracks in the snow, hide their presence in the blinding white and stay as quiet and cool as the air around them.

But Naruto had not come out here to train or fight or hone any of his ninja skills, he had come out here to think, get away from the bustling, closed in streets of the village.

The snow was starting to cling heavily to his boots and walking became trudging until he had to stop, a sudden coughing fit sapping away his energy. His legs shaking badly, Naruto fell to his knees fisting the snow weakly as he felt like he was hacking up his lungs.

Light spatters of blood escaped his mouth and was quickly sucked into the white beneath him. His entire body shaking now, Naruto looked on with a kind of detached interest. The red had spread through the tiny particles of ice making it look like more than there actually was. After a while he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and forced himself to his feet, stumbling back against a tree for support.

After another minute, he pushed himself off and walked on.

What kind of ninja got sick anyway?

--------------------------

Sasuke had been out in the forest for a while.

It was cold out there and he liked it. He would breathe in deeply through his nose then slowly out through his mouth. The sensation of crisp, icy air racing through his warm body felt incredibly relaxing and calmed him.

Walking over to the thick-trunked elm he had been using for target practice the past hour or two, he pulled a deeply embedded kunai from the rough bark. Placing the blade in his back pouch, the raven haired youth strode through silent forest thinking about his plans for the future.

He badly wanted to kill his older brother, he _needed_ to. But that dream seemed far away and unreal. How would he even find Itachi? Would he be strong enough to take down the man who had mindlessly slaughtered his entire clan? The strongest clan in the leaf village, police of Konoha and soul possessors of the legendary blood line trait _sharing an_. Could he kill someone who had murdered these seemingly untouchable people?

He realised his dream was just that - a dream. A fantasy, a wish - he knew deep down he could never be strong enough to physically defeat his brother. Oh he had the willpower, it was all there mentally, it burned like a fire in his mind.

Sasuke stopped as he noticed the snow beneath his feet had started to turn slushy and grey. Looking around he saw he'd reached the edge of a river, snow fallen so heavily over the ice there was no way to even tell it was there. Crouching down, he leaned forward and brushed some of the snow away revealing frosty ice and the dark - almost black - water beneath it.

Standing and gingerly testing his weight on the surface, he was surprised when the ice started split with a loud crack around his foot and he quickly drew back from the deceptively thick ice.

_Lucky I noticed_. Sasuke thought coolly.

Hearing an even - albeit very faint - crunching sound, Sasuke looked up to see Naruto of all people on the other side of the river, puttering slowly towards the river seemingly lost in thought.

The boy had his head down, long scarf swaying with his walk and the occasional breeze, heading straight for the hidden river.

Sasuke raised his hands to either side of his face and shouted out to the boy to stop.

--------------------------

"Hey Kakashi Sensei…"

"Hm?"

"Have you seen Naruto or Sasuke anywhere? I think Sasuke went training, I don't know about Naruto…but that was hours ago."

"I'm sure they're fine Sakura."

The silver-haired man's nose was in his beloved icha icha book and he seemed as disinterested as ever however he was secretly wondering where they'd gotten off to as well. It was not unusual for Sasuke to train for hours or even for Naruto to wander off but the sensei couldn't shake off the feeling something was wrong gnawing away in the back of his mind.

--------------------------

Naruto looked up, shading his eyes from the early morning sunlight.

"Sasuke?" He murmured confusingly.

Walking forward, he didn't notice the dark ice beneath him until a shockingly loud cracking and then a sharp snap pulled his gaze from Sasuke and instead down at the water beneath him. Wildly looking up in shock, the last thing he saw was Sasuke's dark hair and dark eyes, horror etched across his face, before the ice opened up and pulled him under.

--------------------------

Well first chappie of my new story.

Let's see how it goes. The updated prob wont be as frequent as the last one but…who knows.

Hope you enjoyed!

RFBR


	2. With The Rivers Flow

**Soul Stalker Jutsu**

I'm back!!

Yes i'm not dead!! Can you believe it?

Well, i've been in a bit of a rut lately, i know where the story goes and what happens, just need to write it down.

Well, not too much else to say cept don't own Naruto etc.

On with the show.

_Chapter II - With the River's Flow_

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'_Time heals all wounds.'_

_  
I'm sure if we had forever to live, it might even be possible. Some wounds fester and grow, some are painful and some are raw. Physical aches are only flesh and blood destroyed with material objects; they can be gently massaged away or healed from the inside out. However, aches and pains of the heart are much harder to heal. Anything that causes pain will leave a mark, will leave a scar. Whether it is a scar of flesh or one of the mind, it must be acknowledged that some wounds will _never_ leave._

--------------------------

"_Naruto!"_ Sasuke screamed.

_This is bad! This is really, really bad!_ The raven thought quickly running along the bank. How could he save his friend when he couldn't even see the ice? There were small open areas where the water was visible below but hardly big enough to make out anything and there was no way Sasuke could tread out onto the surface. He had to hope Naruto would eventually reach an area where the snow hadn't fallen so heavily nor the ice so thin.

_Hold on Naruto…just hold on dobe._

"Damnit!" Sasuke growled.

The raven knew if Naruto wasn't pulled out of the water soon he'd freeze to death or drown. Even that idiot couldn't hold his breath forever.

Sasuke was reaching a whole new level of worry. Sure, they both fought _a lot_, disagreed about pretty much everything and frustrated each other in ways they didn't think imaginable but there was always a link there that joined them together. Sure they fought and yelled and sulked but they were friends, they were allies and they were equal.

_What about your dreams you idiot? You want to be known as the future hokage who fell in a river and drowned?_

The wide stretch of water went on for a while and Sasuke, with all his blood-bred ninja talent, was at a loss to save his friend. Panic broke through the floodgates.

"Naruto! _Where are you_!?"

--------------------------

Naruto felt like he'd been thrown headlong into a wall.

The sudden icy chill seeped into his very bones and the pain was everywhere at once. He couldn't focus on anything. Up was down, light was dark and he was getting dragged along with the insanely strong current.

Naruto's eyes were somehow burning in the freezing water. He scrabbled desperately at the ice above him, trying to find purchase or a gap where he could escape. The snow was piled on the ice so high, there was little to no light and the blonde was starting to feel faint, like all his strength was being drained away with his body heat.

Then he could see it.

Light.

He had reached a part of the river where the ice could find no hold, the water ran too fast and too rough. Rocks reached for the sky from the heaving waters, like massive immovable claws.

Pushing down the panic and forcing himself to remain conscious just a little while longer, Naruto started to swim _with_ the current, hurtling him towards the open air at an alarming speed. The blonde slammed into one of the massive rocks, temporarily blacking out his vision. Shaking his dazed, abused head, he clawed his way up, gasping like a fish out of water as icy yet life-saving air filled his tired, frozen lungs.

The rock was incredibly slippery and the current was tugging his clothes, pulling him down and away from his anchor. Naruto felt his eyes droop and muscles relax until he was overtaken by darkness.

--------------------------

"_Narutooooo."_

_A voice called to him. A girl. _

_She dragged out the last syllable in his name and ended with a childish giggle. _

_Figures. She was a child_

"_Come on you lazy bum! Get up!"_

_It was cold and dark. He pulled the blanket higher, trying to ignore her high pitch voice so early in the morning._

"_You'll miss the snow! See?"_

_He slowly drew the blanket away, sliding out of bed and padding softly over to the window. Drawing the curtain away revealed a white Konoha, snow falling lazily from the grey clouds above._

"_Told you so!" The pink haired girl said, a bit pompously Naruto thought._

"_It's cold."_

"_Snow is supposed to be cold, it's winter silly!" She nudged her way past him and leaned so close to the window, her nose almost brushed the glass. "Mum said it's the first time in a long time it's snowed here."_

"_How is it so white? There's no colour in it…not at all."_

"_What does it matter? Come on! Sasuke said he'd meet us outside!" With that, the girl bounced out the door._

_Looking down, he saw an inky head of hair and even from here he could see the boy's breath misting in the cold air. _

--------------------------

_They were more than children now._

_Wandering into the woods, still young and carefree but with toys of steel instead of plush, soft animals. They were running, laughter filled the air, a girl and a boy._

_There was another boy but he smiled instead, following the game of chase through the winter wonderland. Eyes as dark as his hair and the clothes he wore, being chased by the girl, weaving through trees and over hidden rocks and thick roots. _

"_Come on Naruto! We're gonna lose him!" The girl called as she ran giggling from sight._

_He was about to catch up when he fell, something beneath the snow tripping him up. _

_An icy feeling crept inside him and he couldn't help but begin a hacking cough, staining the snow a dull rusty red. Gasping a little, he stared impassively at the ground beneath him, caught in a kind of detached daze._

"_Naruto!" The girl called again. She sounded far away._

_He lifted himself from the snow._

"_I'm coming…" He whispered._

--------------------------

Sasuke held onto Naruto's wrist with a death grip.

Crouching on one of the rocks, he grabbed the blonde before he had a chance to be washed away. Heart beating a mile a minute in silent relief, Sasuke threw the boy over his shoulder and headed for the bank.

Only when he lowered the boy down in his arms onto the solid, safe earth did Sasuke realise how cold the blonde was, how blue his skin had become. He was breathing normally but the pale boy could feel him shaking.

"Naruto!" He shouted, shaking the blonde. "Damn it Naruto, wake up!"

His best friend stirred a little, slowly opening his vibrant blue eyes. "Sasuke?"

The relief was indescribable. He just wanted to shout and shake the boy for worrying him so much. He wanted to hold him as just moments ago he was so close to never being able to again. He wanted to cry and laugh and just _smile_. Yes, Sasuke Uchiha wanted to show emotion, but he didn't. He couldn't.

The raven punched the blonde's arm. "Do you have _any_ idea…I…you made me…"

With a frustrated sigh, he ran a hand through his hair and looked away.

"_How is it so white? There's no colour in it…not at all."_

Naruto looked up at the hazy form of his best friend. "Like…your hair." He murmured.

Sasuke quickly turned, a look of confusion on his face. "What?"

"Like…your eyes." Naruto mumbled softly. "No…colour…"

The boy's breathing was slowing down and to Sasuke, he wasn't making any sense. The blue eyes now closed and shivering coming to a stop, Naruto went limp in his arms.

Leaning over, worry now clear on his face, he felt the blonde's once tan skin, feeling a slow, weak pulse. Cursing and with his heart again pounding in his chest, Sasuke shook his best friend.

"Naruto! _Naruto!_"

_How does it make people…so happy?_

--------------------------

Don't worry! There's a storyline in there somewhere: P

Bear with me, another chapter is on the way!

RFBR.


	3. River Run Dry

-1**Soul Stalker Jutsu**

Ok…

Last chapter was a bit confusing for people so I'll try to clarify; snow has no colour and it can be debated that black has no colour either.

Naruto wonders how snow, something with no colour and makes everything cold, can at the same time make people so happy.

Well anywho…don't own Naruto. Here's the next chappie:

_Chapter III - River Run Dry_

_Would it be easier to just say what's on our minds?_

_If there was no such thing as a secret, if lies could not be told - would it make the world a better place? Would it make people happier, having the knowledge that everything said is true? _

_Perhaps words can make all the difference in the world. _

_But then, different isn't always better._

Gathering the blonde in a bridal-style hold, Sasuke headed back for Konoha.

_It's lucky the world's best healer just happens to be Godaime_, Sasuke thought, _I swear if you die dobe…_

Sasuke didn't want to think about it. All he _could_ think about were all the little moments he'd had with the blonde idiot. Times when he _should_ have done this or _should _have said that. Blue eyes he might never see, carefree laughter he might never hear again. Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment and pushing away such thoughts, Sasuke held the body in his arms closer and continued on.

Jumping from branch to branch was faster than running through the snow and slowing him down. The only sound that could be heard was the steady _plop plop_ of snow falling from the trees he landed in.

Then, completely out of nowhere, so fast and silent he didn't even notice, a throwing star whistled through the air, slicing the back of Sasuke's calf. Gasping in surprise, he slipped on the branch and fell heavily to the ground. Naruto was thrown from his arms and rolled across the snow, finally coming to a stop a good few metres away.

The raven jumped to his feet, sharingan spinning wildly across his surroundings, all the while moving towards the still unconscious Naruto. Whoever had thrown the weapon had come dangerously close to clipping his tendons and Sasuke could feel his leg struggling under its own weight.

Hearing a distinct crunching sound, the raven looked up to see none other than the Kabuto Yakushi.

"Kabuto!" Sasuke spat, "What the _hell_ are you doing here? What do you want?"

"That nine-tailed fox of course." He replied coolly, "and Orochimaru always praised you as intelligent."

"Shut up!" Sasuke stood before Naruto, he had to get rid of him quick before his best friend died of hypothermia or was stolen away. "That _snake_ wanted nothing more than my body for his, what does he want with Naruto!?"

Kabuto only smirked, pissing off the already enraged Uchiha. Launching himself forward, Sasuke disappeared just before he was about to make contact, instead re-appearing behind him, aiming a roundhouse kick at his back.

The silver haired sound-nin blocked the attack, one hand glowing blue with his scalpel-like chakra and lashed out with a wide arc of his arm. Jumping back just in time to miss the attack, the raven was surprised when he felt his cheek cut and blood run down his face.

"I don't even have to touch the skin to break it." Kabuto said with that air of superiority.

"I am seriously gonna murder you!" Sasuke yelled, gathering the chirping chidori in his hand.

Running forward, he grabbed Kabuto's arm with his free hand and shoved the chidori into his upper chest. Sasuke could feel the man's blood running down his arm, he could feel the broken skin around his hand until he was roughly shoved away with a glowing blue hand.

Falling to his knees and holding his chest, suddenly finding it hard to breathe, Sasuke looked up to see Kabuto still standing, caked in blood.

"How are you…still alive?" Sasuke panted.

"I used a jutsu that gathers healing chakra to an internal point of the body, in this case the point of impact just before you attacked." His wound had started to smoke and Sasuke could see the skin already starting to heal over. "When directed at this point of impact, this jutsu begins cellular reconstruction immediately after the damage has occurred, lessening the effect of any harmful jutsu."

Cursing, Sasuke shakily got to his feet.

"Consider yourself lucky," Kabuto smirked, the wound now completely healed, "had I landed the blow any closer to your right side you would be dead by now."

Sasuke spared a glance at Naruto, who was now behind Kabuto. He had to get that bastard away from him, it would be so easy for that four-eyes to just turn and steal him away.

"Don't act so damn cocky!" The raven shouted, quickly drawing a kunai and flinging it at Kabuto, landing in his shoulder with a very real sounding thunk.

_That was too easy…_ Sasuke thought just as the sound-nin disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"A clone?!" _When the _hell_ did he do that?_

Sasuke ran for Naruto, grabbing the younger boy in his arms and heading for Konoha. He didn't have the time or strength to fight off Kabuto. What if Orochimaru was around? Naruto was dying and he needed help _now._ Sasuke just hoped he could make it in time.

It was cold.

That was the first thing Naruto thought as he woke. Hazy morning sunlight filtered in through a small window and soft bird calls could be heard in the distance.

_Morning? Did I…go back in time or something? It was just morning then…_

Suddenly pieces of what Naruto surmised must have been yesterday, or hell days ago possibly (_how long had I been out?_) started to come back to him. Walking…blood…then Sasuke and then…bitter cold, pain and then just..nothing.

"…All comes back to you! …No, I don't care if-"

Naruto turned towards the door where muffled voices could be heard but he could only make out half of the what was being said. There was a dull thudding sound as if someone's fist had come into contact with something hard.

"Well you think I just stood…? …to die? Would you-"

Ok, that one was definitely Sasuke. The raising voice, incredibly short temper steadily spiralling out of control…geez Naruto wasn't even in the same room and he could tell it was him.

"…have even let him fall in in the first-"

The first voice again. And from personal experience, Naruto knew the only person with a temper as short as Sasuke's could only be the hidden leaf village's Godaime who _just_ barged into the room, a certain raven haired teenager hot on her heels.

"Tsunade!" Naruto exclaimed happily, sitting up in the hospital bed. "Sasuke! Hi!"

"Don't _hi_ me!" The buxom blonde yelled. "What were you thinking waltzing into a river like that?! You are _supposed_ to be aware of your surroundings! You're a shinobi for crying out loud, start acting like it Naruto!"

The blonde stared sheepishly into his hands. Any other ninja, all the way up to ANBU rank (oh I am _not_ joking), would be on the verge of tears right about now to be on the receiving end of Tsunade's absolutely terrifying rage.

"I'm sorry ok?" He looked up scratching the back of his head, "Especially for you know…making you worry and stuff. And you too Sasuke, for being such a hassle and all…"

"You're such…you're so…" Sasuke was angry. He wasn't yelling but he couldn't find any coherency for his words. In the end he took a deep breath and sighed. "Do you have any idea how close you came to dying?"

"And I'm really, _really_ sorry." Naruto smiled.

Sasuke sighed. The dobe couldn't take _anything_ seriously. He wanted to be Hokage so badly one day, didn't he know that the majority…hell all of the job required intense seriousness. Although….now that Sasuke thought about it, the Yondaime had been pretty laid back he'd heard and Tsunade here was a gambling drunk who regularly fell asleep literally on top of her work…

"The point _is_ you can't keep being such an idiot Naruto!"

"Sasuke I…."

"What if I wasn't there huh? If I hadn't _happened_ to have taken a stroll at that particular time and seen you fall in? You'd be dead right now!"

"You don't know if-"

"If you'd have fallen or not? Why take the chance? Be glad I was there! _God_ Naruto, can't you just…think about what you're doing or at least watch where you're going in future?"

Tsunade put a hand on the raven's shoulder. "Sasuke."

The raven haired boy looked up at the now calm face of the Godaime. He hadn't realised it but somewhere in his rant he'd worked himself up a bit and was a little short on breath. Naruto was looking down, apparently ashamed of himself.

"That's enough." Tsunade said softly. Sasuke nodded. "We'll leave you to rest a bit Naruto. You can check yourself out tomorrow."

And with that she steered Sasuke out of the room by the shoulder and quietly closed the door.

I thought id be getting these chapters up fast but….guess not : P

I got it all worked out , it'll get more interesting promise!

Till then!

RFBR.


	4. More Questions

-1**Soul Stalker Jutsu**

Very late I know

Don't own Naruto etc - lets get on with it

_Chapter IV - More Questions_

--

_So many people, too many, cannot bring themselves to self-reflect. See things as they are, not how they should be - no matter how much they wish it. _

_Naivety can be truly heartening and yet at the same time frightening, with its power to delude and mislead. _

_Does true innocence exist in the world in anyone other than the smallest of children? _

--

Sasuke was sitting on a grassy knoll near his home. A tiny stream could be seen further down and the wind blew a cool breeze across his face.

He felt horrible about yelling at Naruto.

He had been worried out of his mind and almost hadn't made it. Tsunade said he was lucky to even be alive.

Sasuke sighed and sat his head on his knee. His other leg had been bandaged before he'd left the hospital and Tsunade insisted on crutches but the raven would _not_ be seen with those ungainly things - so with true Uchiha pride, (or stubbornness as Tsunade had claimed) Sasuke limped around Konoha in a sour mood.

He wished Naruto would understand he wasn't actually _angry _at him…exactly. It's just the dobe could be…such a dobe sometimes. …all the time.

The raven thought back to the hospital.

--

"_Well you can't deny this all comes back to you! No, I don't care if he took a freaking _dive_ into that river, you know what he's like. I _told _you to look out for him!" Tsunade shouted at the raven who was trembling. Not in fear mind you, but his leg struggling to maintain its own weight. _

_Sasuke slammed his fist into the wall beside him, which was quite impressive in his state._

"_Well you think I just stood there? You think I'd just leave him to die?! Would you-" _

"_I wouldn't have even let him fall in the first place!" Tsunade interrupted heatedly, barging into the Naruto's room, effectively ending their discussion. _

--

Sighing again, Sasuke rose shakily to his feet and limped home.

Reaching his supposedly empty house, the raven was surprised to see the door hanging slightly open. Immediately on guard, he took a kunai from the pouch on his waist and entered.

The first thing to be seen was a grand staircase which ran up and branched both left and right, leading to a balcony that ran above and around the first floor.

Passing the stairs and moving into the living area, he bit down on the pain in his leg as he refused to limp. Sasuke saw one of his lounges had been overturned. Papers were all over the floor, items strewn across the room as someone had hastily and carelessly rifled around.

Who would do this? Who would dare to? This was Uchiha grounds, Uchiha property - the villagers were too awestruck to even come near the place and none of his other ninja friends would do something so mindlessly destructive.

A sudden sharp crack was heard as a heavy glass boar sculpture - given to their family years ago - fell to the ground. The animal lay on its side near his feet on the deep mahogany floorboards, a deep fracture through its body.

Looking up, Sasuke saw none other than the rogue sound-nin Kabuto standing on the second floor balcony.

"The hell are you doing in my house?!" Sasuke shouted angrily but getting no reply. "Answer me!"

"What exactly is your connection with that boy?" The silver haired nin asked calmly, turning his back to Sasuke and running his hand along the bookshelf in front if him.

"Don't turn away from me! Get the hell out of my house and stay away from us!"

"My, my, we certainly are in a mood today." Kabuto pulled a book from the case and idly flicked through the pages.

"_Don't_ fuck with me." Sasuke said icily. "I still owe you for my leg!"

With that, the raven jumped up to the balcony, swinging at Kabuto's unarmed back who skipped back, hands glowing blue.

"You never did answer my question." Kabuto stated as he lashed out at Sasuke, spinning around and out of range of his hands before leaping forward and slashing at the sound nin.

"What concern is it of yours?" Sasuke asked breathlessly. His leg was starting to pain him again and his swings were wild and lacking accuracy.

Kabuto narrowly avoided a clumsy strike and backhanded Sasuke harshly. The raven let out a grunt of pain as he was thrown to the ground, landing uncomfortably on a stack of fallen books. Kabuto pushed a foot to Sasuke's wrist, pinning his arm to the ground.

"You mean Tsunade never told you? About Naruto?"

"What about him?" Sasuke coughed out.

"They were going to give him up, that stupid…or well, smart council of yours." Kabuto leant harder on his wrist and Sasuke winced, reaching for his kunai with his other hand just out of reach. "But they changed their mind. And my master wasn't too pleased with that. Or…" Kabuto's fingers brushed the curse mark on the ravens neck lightly, "…your master."

Growling, Sasuke got a firm grasp on his kunai and slashed the mans calf, blood spilling briefly in a dark splatter.

"He's not my master!"

Kabuto cursed and aimed a kick at Sasuke's head who rolled away out from under him and to his slightly unsteady feet, kunai held out in a defensive stance ready for anything the sound-nin could throw.

"He will be disappointed to hear that…at the very least." Kabuto added thoughtfully, as if this were a normal conversation between friends. "You should have been kinder to him."

The older man jumped off the balcony and towards the front door. Hand on the golden doorknob he turned with a smile.

"He would have given you more time."

With that he took a step out the door, disappearing as if with the wind.

Sasuke let his kunai fall to the ground and soon followed, clutching his leg in pain.

_More…time?_

--

Incredibly short I know!

Im just lacking my oomph lately.

I'll try and get the next chapter up sooooon.

RFBR.


	5. Hidden Motives

**Soul Stalker Jutsu**

OMG IM STILL ALIVE?

Lol I kind of lost my writing flair

And ive forgotten a lot of ideas I had for this story, but I do remember the plot :P

Heres a very short , quick (and kinda crummy I admit) recap/tiny next bit of the story.

Will start writing a longer chapter when I can.

Thanks J

_Chapter V - Hidden Motives_

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_You think - before a daring move - that whatever the outcome, it can't be that bad. It can't hurt that much. _

_It can be made better. _

_But that's no guarantee it wont ache… sooner or later._

--------------------------

"Why did you even leave the hospital?" Sakura scolded at the stoic Uchiha.

"Hn."

"Don't 'hn' me." She huffed, doing up the bandage she was tying around his leg a little _too_ tightly. "Well, I'm off back to the hospital and don't forget to come pick Naruto up tomorrow, that boy heals like you wouldn't believe…"

She gave a short wave as she walked out the door, leaving Sasuke to clean up the house himself.

The young raven took a deep breath and sighed. He wondered what Naruto was doing…that boy was always so reckless, caring too much about everyone but himself. It was a noble trait, but not a very good one.

And what was all this with Kabuto and Orochimaru? Give more time for what? Why was he attacked? Was it because he was with Naruto, were they going for his best friend? Or him? It made Sasuke's head pound just thinking about it.

Giving another sigh, he heaved himself up, gingerly testing his weight on his healing leg before limping down the stairs. As he was about to turn into the kitchen, something gold caught his eye on the floor. Leaning over with more than a bit of pain, he picked up the old frame. Small fragments of glass fell away and a large crack ran through the front but the picture was untouched, him and his brother.

It had been years ago when Sasuke was still a child and Itachi in Anbu, barely 20. Sasuke was grinning broadly, standing in front of his older brother who had the slightest smile in the corners of his lips, one hand on his little brother's shoulder.

"What happened to you…brother?"

Sasuke's face was blank and he let the old memory fall to the floor, the golden frame dull as he walked away.

--------------------------

Naruto woke in a warm hospital bed, the window open and a gentle breeze drifted across his face.

Snuggling down into the covers for a minute more, Naruto finally yawned and got out of bed. Pulling on his clothes lying in the corner, he did a few stretches then jumped on the window sill.

"I know baa-chan hates me running off out of the hospital but I just can't stand all that paperwork." The sunny boy said to himself and leapt out of the window.

--------------------------

Sasuke left the mess at the front of his house how it was. He couldn't be bothered cleaning it up, he had far more important things to do.

Heading down a long hallway, the raven unlocked one of the dark mahogany doors and made his way to the far wall. This was a small relaxing room, there were two long leather lounges that took up most of the space and a steel shelving unit almost as tall as the ceiling.

Pushing a small hidden button under one of the shelves, the steel unit swung away from the wall revealing…the wall behind it. Forming the necessary seals and slamming his hand against the cool grey plaster, Sasuke walked down the now visible stairway leading into the depths of the house.

The room below had the bitter metallic smell of blood, Sasuke had forgotten how strong it could be. The walls were splattered here and there with deep black and red marks, dim lights flickered before they grew stronger as the raven switched the lights on. A bookshelf stood in the corner and a low table hugged the wall with a single chair lying on its side. Another table stood on the other side of the room, littered with an array of weapons, a few pieces of paper and a small stack of books.

_Sasuke strode over to the bookcase and pulled out a thick leather-bound book full of complicated drawings required for his jutsu._

"_If this is what it takes," he whispered, "Then so be it."_

_--------------------------_

_Verrrrry short_

_Sorry_

_Will get on it when I can_

_Thanks for reading_

_RFBR._


End file.
